1) Remember, we all have had preconceived ideas in our minds. We must study the Holy Scriptures with an open mind; then believe the Scriptures.

2) Revelation 1:10 states: "I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day…" "The Lord’s Day," or as usually stated, Day of the Lord, has absolutely nothing to do with Sunday or any other day of the week! When the preconceived ideas about this verse are removed and it is read for what it says, it becomes obvious that at this early point in the unfolding of the Book of Revelation, John is projected into the prophetic Day of the Lord, so often written about in the Old Testament.

3) John states that he is in the Day of the Lord in Rev. 1:10. In Rev. 4:1 John is told he will be shown things that will be hereafter---and the hereafter he is to be shown includes the opening of the Seven Seals. The Seven Seals cover the climactic times of the releasing of the Four Horseman, the Great Tribulation, the awesome Heavenly Signs, and the one year period of the Wrath of the Lamb, culminating in Christ’s visible return at the sound of the Last Trumpet and the First Resurrection! All Seven Seals are opened while John is "…in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day", or more plainly stated, during the Day of the Lord!

4) We have had the preconceived idea that the Day of the Lord and the Day of the Lord’s Wrath (the Seventh Seal) are one and the same. A careful examination of the Scriptures in the next point proves that they definitely are NOT the same!

5) The Seventh Seal is the Day of the Lord’s Wrath, which is the final one-year period of 3-½ years of Great Tribulation---during the Day of the Lord. Revelation 6:17 declares; "For the great day of his wrath (Strong’s # 3709: meaning - anger, indignation, vengeance, wrath) is come; and who shall be able to stand?"

Now read these scriptures that define the length of time for the Day of the Lord’s Wrath:

Isaiah 34:8: "For it is the day of the LORD'S vengeance, and the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion."

Isaiah 61:2: "To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God."

Isaiah 63:4: "For the day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come."

6) God’s Word declares the Day of the Lord (not the Day of His Wrath) would come as a "thief in the night," suddenly, unexpectedly (I Thess. 5:2; II Peter 3:10; Matt. 25:13).

7) The awesome and frightening Sixth Seal, the Heavenly Signs (Rev. 6:12-17), will be seen by all on the earth as they usher in the one-year period of the Seventh Seal, also called the Day of the Lord’s Wrath or the Trumpet Plagues. Not only will the 6th Seal introduce the Day of the Lord’s Wrath, the Two Witnesses will be warning the entire world of that which is on the horizon. These two Prophets, just as Moses and Aaron did anciently, will thunder aloud to the WORLD, forewarning of each event that shall unfold. They will call-down each of the Trumpet Plagues. They will let the ENTIRE EARTH know when the Day of His Wrath will begin and when it will end! These two powerful, yet humble, servants of God know they will be killed at the end of their 1260 -day ministry and will notify the entire Earth of the exact time of their death and the time of their resurrection. Their resurrection is at the time of the Last Trumpet---at the RETURN of JESUS CHRIST for the Firstfruits (Study Rev. 11:3-15 carefully).

8) There will be NOTHING "unexpectedly," "secretly," "suddenly," or as a "thief in the night," about the visible Return of Christ for His Firstfruits. The whole WORLD will SEE Him Return (Rev. 1:7). The whole WORLD will know in advance the exact time of His visible Return by the proclamation of the Two Witnesses.

9) However, the Day of the Lord and Christ’s secret coming "as a thief" would be at a time when everything was going along as usual; …eating, drinking, marrying, giving in marriage…(Matt. 24:36-44). After the Great Tribulation and the one-year Day of the Lord’s Wrath, NOTHING will be as usual (see Jer. 4:19-29 and Isaiah 13:9-13).

10) Sudden destruction is coming upon this Earth in spite of World leaders attempting to bring peace and safety. "Peace and Safety" can still be hoped for TODAY, nevertheless, no one on earth, except God’s Faithful in the place of safety, will be saying, "PEACE and SAFETY" (I Thess. 5:2-3) when the Day of the Lord’s Wrath begins. By that time the Four Horsemen’s ride and 2 ½ years of Great Tribulation will have destroyed billions of people over the face of the Earth. Sudden destruction will have already come! There will be NO safety or peace except in the place God has prepared.

11) The Day of the Lord has already come as a "thief in the night"---and you didn’t know it! That’s the way God intended it to be. That is precisely HOW it could come as "a thief in the night." Now the SECRET has been revealed (Mark 13:32)! Prior to this NEW TRUTH everyone has had the misconception that the Day of the Lord and the Day of the Lord’s Wrath were one and the same. But NOW you know! And when you read the scriptures and think it through, it is obvious they are TWO different occurrences.

12) According to the best scholars, 6000 years of man going according to his own deceived heart came to an end October 1, 1997. Herbert Armstrong said he did not think time could go on past 1997. And I personally believe The Day of the Lord---that will continue for all eternity---began on that Feast of Trumpets evening of October 1, 1997, secretly, suddenly, like a thief in the night. God opened my mind to the meaning of Revelation 1:10 at that very time! It was TIME for this great Truth to be revealed and God revealed it to me. I state this as humbly as I can. He had to use someone and I was available. Regardless of WHO He used, the fact remains that the biblical points already brought out above are TRUE: The Day of the Lord and the Day of the Lord’s Wrath are TWO different events! That understanding was revealed on Trumpets 1997. If you do not want to believe all of this happened on October 1, 1997, that’s your decision. However, if you understand that this fact is true, then please realize the Day of the Lord must come BEFORE the Great Tribulation---and the Tribulation is imminent. Remember also, I am saying the First Four Seals have been opened and the fearsome Four Horsemen have ridden out over this earth---in the Day of the Lord---before the 5th Seal is opened. I hope you have the "spiritual eyes" to see the affects of their ride to this point. When all is in readiness Christ will open the 5th Seal.

13) Christ has "come suddenly to His Temple" (Malachi 3:1). When Christ Returns visibly at the First Resurrection, it will not be suddenly or unexpectedly. The Faithful in the place of safety will have been waiting, watching, and praying for 1150 + 110 days. His Return will be expected---and God does things right on time!

14) Christ has already come suddenly to His Temple NOW to do the following:

He will discern who is worthy to stand as His Pillar members (Malachi 3:2; Revelation 3:12 and Luke 21:36). Notice the statement in Malachi 3:2: "…who shall stand when He appears…" "Appears" in this phrase is an unfortunate rendering of the Hebrew word ra’ah. In verse 18 this same Hebrew word is rendered "discern." Christ has come secretly "as a thief" not to appear but to discern! See also Matthew 24: 49-41 and Luke 17:30-37 and notice carefully the selection that is taking place.

He will "discern," or determine by careful inspection, those worthy to escape the Great Tribulation and stand as His Pillars. Malachi 3:17 shows He will "discern," by close examination, those who are to be SPARED as His special treasure …in that day---the Day of the Lord. He is placing His special mark (Ezek. 9:4 and John 17:17) on His Faithful, NOW---in the Day of the Lord--- before the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lamb’s Wrath.

Malachi 3:3 declares He will also "…purify the sons of Levi…" These "sons of Levi" are the hireling ministers, the shepherds of God (not the ministers of the World’s churches, John 10:12-13) that have led His people astray (Jer. 50:6). They will be purified and purged in the "fire" of the Great Tribulation--- if they do not repent before then. The Great Tribulation takes place during the Day of the Lord, but before the one-year period of the Day of His Wrath. These hirelings must repent now or be purified by the fires of the Tribulation. When the Day of the Lamb’s Wrath begins all Faithful Philadelphians will have been in the place of safety for 2 ½ years. It appears that the hireling ministry and the unfaithful Philadelphians they have deceived, together with the Laodiceans will have given their lives in the Tribulation before the Day of His Wrath begins. To be proven faithful they must overcome the Beast, the image of the Beast, his mark, and the number of his name (Rev. 15:2 & 20:4). Those who do not overcome will lose their lives eternally in the lake of fire.

15) This TRUTH you have studied here began to be given October 1, 1997 on the Feast of Trumpets. At that time we entered the Day of the Lord and Christ returned suddenly to His Temple. You have not known this TRUTH until now---but NOW you have new REVEALED KNOWLEDGE! You are responsible for how you handle this knowledge (Hosea 4:6). Christ identifies His One True Church through TRUTH given only to that ONE TRUE CHURCH. We are SET APART BY TRUTH! Please download or request our free booklets; The Day of the Lord; The Little Book…Unveiled at Last; and The Feast of Trumpets or Pentecost: Which?

I sincerely hope this paper, along with our booklets will help you to fully understand this vital subject---and that you will be able to thoroughly explain this TRUTH to others.